Boys basketball: HISD event filling a void

BOYS BASKETBALL

JEFF JENKINS, CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT |
December 17, 2008

The Houston Independent School District currently may lack a sponsor for its basketball showcase, but the district doesn’t lack a plan.

Daryl Wade, athletic director for Houston ISD, said his department is committed to hosting a quality tournament that upholds the grand tradition of a popular event known for decades as the Jaycees.

“Our goal is to bring our tournament back to its glory days, when it was one of the biggest in the state,” Wade said. “We want this to be an event that the top teams have to play in year after year.”

With the Academy National Invitational not taking place this season, Wade said there’s a void in the area hoops schedule that Houston ISD will gladly fill.

“I was involved with the Academy tournament for years when I worked in Aldine ISD,” Wade said. “It was a terrific, well-run event, but I believe our tournament can be of that same caliber.”

Wade and his staff’s strategy seems to be working. The 69th Annual Houston ISD Boys Basketball Tournament will feature a whopping 10 teams listed in last week’s Texas Association of Basketball Coaches state rankings.

“That might be the most (ranked teams) we’ve ever had,” said Dave Hudek, athletic coordinator for Houston ISD and the tournament’s director. “The Jaycees used to be the ‘Granddaddy’ of all the local tournaments. Looking at the strength of this year’s field, it appears we’re getting back to where we used to be.”

This year’s tournament tips off Friday afternoon with a play-in game between Austin and Davis at 1:30 p.m. at Delmar Field House. First-round action picks up at 3 p.m. at four sites — Delmar, Butler Field House and Madison and Reagan high schools.

Hudek said the tournament seeding committee, comprised of coaches from both public and private schools, had a challenging task filling out the 33-team bracket.

“With so many terrific teams, it wasn’t easy, but I have to give credit to the committee,” Hudek said. “The put together a bracket that is fair and balanced.”

Yates, the state’s No. 1 Class 4A team, was rewarded with the top seed. No one would argue that the Lions, who started the week with a 9-0 record, deserve it.

“Yates has an outstanding team,” said Wheatley head coach Willie Patrick. “They’re the team to beat, until somebody actually beats them.”

“We easily go nine or 10 players deep,” said Yates head coach Greg Wise. “A lot of people expected us to slip a little after last season, but our kids have been very focused. I really love this team.”

But Wise said Yates, the expected front-runner in District 21-4A, will see plenty of good competition, and he welcomes it.

Wheatley, ranked No. 6 in the state in Class 4A, is the second seed. The Wildcats, who beat Yates in the Class 4A-Region III finals a year ago, will face Scarborough at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Butler.

Bellaire, No. 14 in the state in Class 5A, was seeded third. The defending District 20-5A champs meet Lee at 7:30 p.m. at Reagan.

Fourth seed Strake Jesuit, which moved up to No. 8 in Class 5A, is another serious contender. The Crusaders, who recently won the Father Joseph Barry Christmas Classic in Carmichael, Calif., will take on Worthing at 3 p.m. at Madison.

As proof of the tournament’s top-to-bottom strength, several state-ranked teams didn’t net one of the top eight seeds. Chavez, No. 20 in Class 5A, will face Waltrip at 6 p.m. at Delmar. Second Baptist, No. 6 among large private schools, meets Stratford at 4:30 p.m. at Butler. St. Thomas, No. 7 among large private schools, drew Washington at 6 p.m. at Reagan. Finally, The Woodlands Christian, the state’s top-ranked small private school, will tangle with Reagan on the Bulldogs’ home court at 4:30 p.m. Other Houston ISD schools in the field include Kashmere, Lamar, Milby, Sam Houston, Sharpstown and Westside. Rounding out the field are Elsik and North Shore.

Second-round and quarterfinal action will take place Saturday at several sites. The tournament heats up on Monday at Delmar, with the semifinals at noon and 1:30 p.m. The trophy games follow with the consolation finals at 4:30 p.m., the third-place game at 6 p.m. and the title game at 7:30 p.m.

“I’m not even going to try to pick a winner,” Hudek said. “There are probably 10 teams, maybe more, that have a legitimate shot at the championship.”

Wade wouldn’t have it any other way.

“This is what we envision our tournament being every year,” Wade said. “We want the players to get the very best competition possible, like in the old Jaycees days.”